In Between
by shannyfish
Summary: Sara/Diggle (DrivingCanary) moments that take place during "In Truth".


**A/N:** _Takes place between chapters 13 & 14 of "In Truth"._

. . .

"Do you REALLY think Oliver is out here?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Sara told him.

They'd gone on a 'road trip'. It really wasn't much of one. They were looking for Oliver in the nearest wooded area. Sara had found a report from a park ranger claiming that he'd seen a man that matched Oliver's description that seemed to be living in the woods, but that he'd been too quick for him to catch. Everything pointed to Oliver. Sara had figured that it was sort of like Lian Yu, except it was a lot closer and filled with so many less ghosts.

"I guess, at least we're out of the Foundry…"

"I'm sure our eyes appreciate not being behind a computer screen for a couple of hours," Sara added. She smiled at John as they both walked along. It had been hard, hard on both of them. They'd been spending practically every minute of the day together since Felicity and Thea had disappeared...and it seemed like even more so after Oliver vanished too. They weren't giving up...not on any of them. Sometimes it seemed like they were never going to find any of them, but Sara knew that they couldn't give up.

Everyone had thought that she and Oliver were dead in the North China Sea...and then they'd both turned up years later...alive. Sara didn't know what had happened with Felicity and Thea, but they were going to find them...and they'd find Oliver. She knew not to be surprised if Oliver found them first.

"It's beautiful here."

John's voice snapped her out of her observation of the area and thoughts. Sometimes Sara found it hard to concentrate on things that normal people concentrated on. To focus on the moment and what was going on rather than thinking of it all...of thinking about how she blamed herself for Oliver leaving and Felicity and Thea being taken. "Yeah," she breathed and let out a sigh.

"You've been unusually quiet…"

"I should have said something, the moment that I realized that Isabel Rochev was Talia al Ghul," Sara told him. She had wondered if he blamed her, but Sara was fairly sure that she and John were on the same level. He would have come out and instantly blamed her, if that's what he believed. He was a soldier and he seemed to understand her thoughts...for the most part anyways. "I-I-I think I just got emotional and-"

"Hey, you don't have to explain yourself to me," John told her. He gave her a comforting smile and seemed to make it okay to end the conversation.

It still nagged at her, though, because she blamed herself. It was one thing to lose her relationship with Oliver, in all honesty...Sara had never imagined it going far. It was more a relationship of familiarity and comfort, she loved Oliver, but she'd never intended on becoming Mrs. Oliver Queen. "But Felicity and-"

"Did you know she was working with Slade?"

"No-"

"Well, then stop blaming yourself, Sara."

"Oliver blames me."

"Oliver does a lot of stupid things."

Sara shook her head. "It's not stupid to blame me, I wasn't honest and forthcoming-"

"Hey, I get it… You've been through a lot and you're not exactly used to living in this world again," John told her. "You trust us, but...we're not quite home or family."

Stopping, Sara stared at him when he stopped and turned to look at her. "John, that's the problem. I feel like this is home...you guys are my family… That's why I feel so guilty…" She shook her head. "I think Felicity's adorable and...and she reminds me of myself before the Queen's Gambit…"

"Sara-"

Tears filled her eyes and she shook her head. "It may sound horrible, but I feel more at home and more like family with all of you than I do with my own family…"

"That's not true," he told her. "Your dad-"

"Okay, so...it's mainly Laurel...and I mean, I can't blame her-"

John pulled her into his arms and it took her a moment to relax and to wrap her arms around his body as well. Sometimes embraces were so foreign to her. Sara held on, though, and let some of the tears fall. "You've got a family, Sara. You may have think that you've burned bridges...but you haven't… We're going to find Oliver...and Thea and Felicity… We'll bring them all home… You'll see. Things will fall back into place."

"Well, almost everything," she told him. Sara put on a smile though and spoke before he could. "But it's for the best, you know? Oliver and I...we were never going to work out…" She sighed. "Ever since I came back, I could see something between them…"

"Oliver and Felicity?"

Sara nodded. She wasn't sad or really jealous about it. There had been a moment of jealousy when Talia had made claims about Felicity and Oliver, but Sara knew it wasn't real… She was reacting, or rather non-reacting, more out of shock...and out of the realization that without Oliver...she'd be alone again. Sara could be alone, but there was something so much more comforting when you had a partner in life...even if it was just a close friend. Maybe that's why she and John had been fine since everything had happened, even with living together. They were good together. They understood each other and it seemed...Oliver. "Is he ever going to tell her?"

"Doubt it."

"When we find them, if he hasn't told her...we better find a way to do it."

Diggle chuckled and shook his head. "It better be subtle…"

"I'm sure we'll figure out something…"

They walked for a while in silence. They had kept their eyes opened, but still they didn't see any sign of Oliver. Sara had noticed that John kept checking his watch. Really, they shouldn't be gone for too long. They'd set the Foundry up, so that they would get an alert their phones if he returned...but that was only if Oliver tripped what they'd set up. There was also the fact that they'd been the ones patrolling...and as it got darker, they needed to get into their routine too.

"I keep thinking that he'll call," Sara said.

"Yeah, me too," John replied. "But it's Oliver...and you know as well as I do...he's gotten a little too used to knowing how to operate without using his phone or his credit cards...or anything else that may flag our attention."

Sara knew exactly what he meant. It was easy to go off the grid after you were so used to it. If you were used to it, then it was almost easier than living on it… Oliver needed his space and she wondered if they should just give it to him. They could still keep checking hospitals and everything, but she had a feeling that he'd come home when he was ready. "Maybe we should just focus on keeping the city safe and looking for Felicity and Thea…"

"And babysitting Roy?"

A laugh escaped her, she couldn't help it. It wasn't just the two of them in the Foundry, it was also a brooding Roy. The Mirakuru made him dangerous, especially to the Foundry. There were holes in cement and things were broken and all Sara could think every time she passed them was 'Felicity is going to be pissed'. "I think Roy prefers when we consider it 'training'," she reminded. "And you have to admit, John, Roy having some training would be a GOOD thing."

"He needs the discipline and self control first."

He wasn't wrong.

"You know, we've talked about me...but we haven't talked about you," Sara said after a few minutes of silence. She knew that they were getting to the point where they were going to have to turn around. "How are you doing with...everything?" she asked as she looked over at him. Sara knew that it wasn't just looking for Oliver, Thea, and Felicity or even taking up watching over the city...he'd just broken up with Lyla before it had all happened.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You and Lyla broke up-"

"I remember," Digg responded and shook his head.

"Come on, John, you can talk to me," Sara told him. "It's apparently 'share your feelings' day." She watched as he smiled brighter and had a pretty good idea that it had worked.

"I'm hanging in there, okay?" he spoke up after a minute. He looked at her and the smile was still on his face. "It helps having you around, especially with all the chaos…"

Sara grinned. "It's like playing house," she teased. "We're the parents and Roy's our kid…"

"He's adopted, right? We can take him back?"

Laughing, Sara shook her head. "I think he's a good kid...you know, once you get past his whole emo-ish attitude, but you know...his girlfriend is missing… And don't forget the MIrakuru… If Sin's life was going to crap, I'm pretty sure she'd be the same way."

"Except the Mirakuru…"

"Let's not wish that on anyone."

Diggle smiled. "Maybe we could trade Roy for Sin…"

"Believe me, she'd be all for it...but I think then Roy would be pouting like a little puppy who's gotten kicked out of the house…"

"Maybe he just needs a friend then."

"So...be his FRIEND, John."

She'd actually thought about asking about bringing Sin in on things, but at the same time...she wasn't sure if she really wanted to bring her into that life. Sure, she was already in danger on a day to day basis in the Glades, but she knew how to handle herself there. Sara didn't know if she could forgive herself if anything happened to her 'little sister', especially after the promise she'd made to her father.

"If Oliver's here...then I'm thinking we're not going to find him, at least not today," Diggle finally said as he turned back to Sara. "Let's head back...and think about dinner…"

"Please no fast food…"

"Does a diner count as fast food?"

Sara looked over at him with raised eyebrows. "It depends… Is it someplace we normally eat at?"

"No," John replied. "I was thinking of that place up the road… My treat."

"I'd like that."

John smiled. "Then it's a date."

. . .


End file.
